The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions Sector, has officially commenced a seven-day nationwide warning strike beginning Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
The strike action, which took effect at 12:01 a.m., was declared after the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued to the federal government, demanding immediate response to long-standing issues affecting the nursing profession.
Speaking on Monday, July 28, the National Chairman of NANNM-FHI, Morakinyo Rilwan, confirmed that the strike would involve a total withdrawal of services from all federal health institutions across the country.
“The 15-day ultimatum ends by Tuesday, July 29, 2025, by midnight, and the warning strike commences on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 12:01 a.m.”
The institutions affected include:
- 74 federal hospitals such as teaching hospitals, federal medical centres, specialist hospitals (including orthopedic, neuro-psychiatric, and eye centres),
- General hospitals and primary healthcare centres in all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and 774 local government areas.
Rilwan clarified that private hospitals are not part of the strike, explaining that private sector nurses are not yet evenly distributed across the country.
Reasons for the Strike
The decision to embark on the strike stems from several unresolved issues:
- Poor remuneration
- Severe staff shortages
- Unpaid allowances
- Unsafe working environments
Despite issuing the ultimatum on July 14, 2025, NANNM noted that no meaningful negotiations or dialogue had been initiated by the federal government or the Federal Ministry of Health.
Rilwan stated that the strike was triggered by government inaction and refusal to meet the union’s demands or even acknowledge their concerns formally.
Key Demands by NANNM
Among the critical demands are:
- Gazetting of the nurses’ scheme of service (approved by the National Council on Establishments in 2016, Minna, Niger State).
- Implementation of the National Industrial Court judgment delivered on January 27, 2012.
- Upward review of professional allowances for nurses and midwives.
- Immediate employment of more nursing personnel.
- Provision of adequate equipment in healthcare facilities.
- Creation of a dedicated department of nursing in the Federal Ministry of Health.
- Inclusion of nurses in top-level health policy-making bodies.
- Fair representation on the boards and in the leadership of federal health institutions.
- Centralised internship placement for graduate nurses.
- Establishment of consultancy roles for nurses and midwives.
- Withdrawal of the revised allowance circular recently issued for health workers.
Conclusion
With no indication of government intervention so far, the seven-day warning strike is expected to significantly disrupt public healthcare delivery across Nigeria. The association has not ruled out a total indefinite strike if their demands remain unmet after the expiration of the warning period.
Patients seeking care at federal facilities are advised to seek alternatives as the healthcare workforce experiences one of its most significant coordinated actions in recent times.
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